Bfrshooter and I decided to see what kind of velocity we could eek out of a .454 Casull with a light (200 grain) bullet. The only published load we found was 37 grains of 296. Winchester's load info on line has a load with a 240 grain bullet that starts at 36 grains ending around 38 grains, so we figure that we have a little wiggle room.

Care to guess how fast it'll go? I say 2,050 fps........

Keep in mind that we are doing this purely in the spirit of science!

I think that 38 grains might get 1900 FPS, but add a little more go juice and over 2100 FPS will be obtainable.

Actually, the load calls for 37 and they say it'll go north of 2,000 fps........we'll see!

Oh, and the test vehicle is a 7.5-inch Ruger SRH......

Hogdon lists 38 grains with a 240 grain for 1950 FPS, alot depends on how this bullet makes pressure.

40 grain lighter bullet........

I am saying a hair over 2000 fps....

That's what I'm thinking too, Redhawk.

I was always wondering myself what the 454 Casull would do with a lighter bullet.

I guess I will need to find out what my new rounds will do also, I got a 410 GNR Encore barrel coming, it is a necked down 454 Casull to 41 cal. Should be a smoker also.

Redhawk, when you load up some .410 GNR ammo, snap some pics and I'll post 'em.

Whitworth, I can do that, I am just waiting on the dies, I have some brass on order, but I can use 454 Casull brass in the mean time, I also have to order some bullets from Montana Bullet Works. I have a box of Hornady 210 gr. XTP's that I picked up today from my local gun shop, he had a brand new box that has been sitting on the shelf for a number of years, I got 100 of them for $11.00. What a deal, I could not pass them up, just something to blast down range. You know I prefer then hard cast bullets.

I wouldn't have passed on that deal either!

I'm thinking you won't pick up much over the 240 gr. W 296 and H 110 seem to like to have a bit of bullet weight to get them burning before the bullet leaves the barrel.

I tried to get my 480 moving with a 310 gr cast, but H-110 just wouldn't get it much over 1300 fps. I went to 2400, got 1400 and pressure signs. I'd imagine Lil gun might to the trick, but I gave up on those experiments.

So, Paul, what do you think it'll do?

Not to hijack the thread but I believe Redhawk1 will be very happy with the 410 GNR. I have one in a Redhawk with 7.5" barrel and can get 1800 fps with max loads using the Hornady XTP. I can only believe out of an Encore you can reach 200-300 fps faster. By the way the XTP performs superbly at this velocity. If you want a real screamer try the Sierra 170 grainer and just see what it can do to a woodchuck at 100 paces. The pic below shows an XTP after traversing about 3 foot of a nice 10 point buck

]

Okay, but do you want to venture a guess?

quote:

Originally posted by Ravenwolf:
Not to hijack the thread but I believe Redhawk1 will be very happy with the 410 GNR. I have one in a Redhawk with 7.5" barrel and can get 1800 fps with max loads using the Hornady XTP. I can only believe out of an Encore you can reach 200-300 fps faster. By the way the XTP performs superbly at this velocity. If you want a real screamer try the Sierra 170 grainer and just see what it can do to a woodchuck at 100 paces. The pic below shows an XTP after traversing about 3 foot of a nice 10 point buck

]

Ravenwolf, I am getting stoked about the 410 GNR, I can't wait to get the barrel and dies.
What scope are you using on your Redhawk?
I have a Ultra-dot Match-dot ready to mount on the 410 GNR when it gets here. Have you tried any 240 gr. hard cast bullets in your 410 GNR?

Thanks
Alex

Hey -- take it elsewhere! So, what do you think it will do??????

OK, OK, I'll guess. I'm thinking just under 2000 fps with 200 grain 454 load. I don't think light for caliber bullets do much more than the mid weight bullets except lose steam faster.

Redhawk1 I have an old limited edition 3x Simmons WTC pistol scope on it for hunting. It has held up to several hundred full power loads so far. I also use an Ultra-dot 25 for turkey shoots at our local club. It has brought home the Thanksgiving dinner for me several times. I haven't tried any 240 grain cast but do use the LBT 255 grain cast bullets for bear hunting and some custom 250 grain JHP bullets just cuz there so accurate in this revolver. I get right around 1575-1600 fps with the LBTs....RW

Whitworth, you should try some of them 185 gr nosler bullets in the 454 Casull, you will be able to get a little more powder in the case with them.

Okay, here 'tis........

Tested three loads today through my 7.5-inch Ruger Super Redhawk .454 Casull. We set out to get maximum velocity out of a 200 grain bullet. We started at 37 grains of 296, moving up to 38 grains in half-grain increments. The weather was a very muggy mid-eighties. The recoil wasn't bad at all, but the noise was horrendous and the fireball was impressive to say the least. We fell short, but that's okay, as I wouldn't use this load for anything more serious than killing jugs of water (see accompanying video!). I have listed 3-shots of each load. Note: all cases extracted with no effort.

37 grains 296
-1882
-1905
-1902

37.5 grains 296
-1731
-1901
-1833

38 grains 296
-1819
-1859
-1908

This video clip shows the fireball:



This one shows the effectiveness of this load on water jugs -- lethal!

Forgot to post a picture of the little monster..........

Mr. Whitworth, I feel your pain...

And what pain would that be, sir?

The pain of not reaching your velocity goal

It's only painful if you really care....... I can assure you that I am not feeling any pain........

We had to get the jug the right distance so the flame didn't evaporate the water before we got the movie!

Well that just goes to show me the 454 Casull cannot touch the S&W 460 Mag in the velocity department.

And it doesn't need to. I think it could have done a bit better -- but a light bullet at those velocities is pretty much useless on big game, and perhaps more useless on small game as it would blow it up like a varmint rifle. I don't understand the hype to be perfectly honest.

Hogdon lists 2065 FPS in the 454 Casull with a 240 grain bullet and W296 powder. The 200 grain bullet doesn't seem to offer enough resistence to get the higher speeds in the 454.

quote:

Originally posted by jwp475:
Hogdon lists 2065 FPS in the 454 Casull with a 240 grain bullet and W296 powder. The 200 grain bullet doesn't seem to offer enough resistence to get the higher speeds in the 454.

And this is why the .460 needs such a monstrous case to get the velocities that it does. We measured 48 grains of powder in the Hornady 200 grain loads!!

And perhaps some non-canister powder as well....

Just think of what those burning gasses could do to something!!!!I like the milk jug vaporizing.High fun factor there for sure.

Whitworth, your velocity's are not what I'd expect from that load. Factory W W 240 gr loads Were breaking 2000fps in my SRH, but then I have the 9 1/2 inch barrel. I had velocities up to 2014fps with factory ammo. I wouldn't think that 2 1/2 inches of barrel would make that much difference. I don't like to reload up to factory velocities tho, too much recoil for my liking. and a 250 gr slug at about 1200 fps is dedly on deer with a lot less recoil.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
And it doesn't need to. I think it could have done a bit better -- but a light bullet at those velocities is pretty much useless on big game, and perhaps more useless on small game as it would blow it up like a varmint rifle. I don't understand the hype to be perfectly honest.

Whitworth, I don't use them 200 gr. Hornady bullets in my S&W 460 Mag, but I have seen a bunch of deer taken with them and they work very good on deer. They did not blow up like a varmint bullet. Big difference between a varmint bullet design and the 200 gr. SST bullets used in the 460 Mag.

The whole idea of the 200 gr. SST bullet and the S&W 460 Mag is to have a true 200 yards handgun and no hold over at 200 yards.

So don't look at the S&W 460 Mag as a up close only handgun round. That is not the idea behind it.

As for me, I use the 300 gr. hard cast bullets in my S&W 460 Mag.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeN:
Whitworth, your velocity's are not what I'd expect from that load. Factory W W 240 gr loads Were breaking 2000fps in my SRH, but then I have the 9 1/2 inch barrel. I had velocities up to 2014fps with factory ammo. I wouldn't think that 2 1/2 inches of barrel would make that much difference. I don't like to reload up to factory velocities tho, too much recoil for my liking. and a 250 gr slug at about 1200 fps is dedly on deer with a lot less recoil.

Mike, I think with this light a bullet that it needs more powder to get more velocity. The bullet is just too light. Would they have broken the 2,000 fps mark with a 9.5-inch barrel? It's certainly possible.

I'm getting over 2000 fps with 260 grain FA bullets using 35 grains of 296. Like others have said, ya gotta have a bit of resistance for the 296/H110 to generate the higher velocities.

Redhawk, I was talking about smaller game than deer. I know it isn't for up close and personal work. I don't think that bullet is good for much of anything. I wouldn't chance using it on deer -- first because it is a hollow-point (and you know how I feel about hollow-points! ), and secondly because it is just too bloody light for the caliber.

quote:

Originally posted by MS Hitman:
I'm getting over 2000 fps with 260 grain FA bullets using 35 grains of 296. Like others have said, ya gotta have a bit of resistance for the 296/H110 to generate the higher velocities.

I agree. I'll bet a 240 or 260 would have gone faster -- no resistence. But boy was it loud!!

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
Redhawk, I was talking about smaller game than deer. I know it isn't for up close and personal work. I don't think that bullet is good for much of anything. I wouldn't chance using it on deer -- first because it is a hollow-point (and you know how I feel about hollow-points! ), and secondly because it is just too bloody light for the caliber.

Whitworth, I don't like the SST bullet myself, I am a hard cast guy. But I can't argue with the guys using them and killing the shit out of deer with them.

When Delaware opened the handgun season for deer two years ago, a lot of guys bought the S&W 460 Mag, and a lot of them are not reloaders, and use the Hornady 200 gr. SST bullets. So I get a lot of feedback from guys in the field with the 200 gr. SST bullets, and they say they work great and do not blow up on the deer at even close range. There only complaint is the concussion,noise and flash for the Hornady 200 gr. loads.

Myself, I have a great load using 300 gr. hard cast in my S&W 460 Mag, and have it sighted in 1 inch high at 100 yards and it is dead on at 150 yards. I get the flatter shooting of the 460 mag plus the added weight and hard cast bullet.

I used the tightest case tension I could get too along with a good crimp. We knew the bullet resistance was missing. I used SR Primers too and wonder if SP primers would keep the bullet in the case better.
100 fps loss for the shorter barrel is possible too considering the short barrel time. All rounds hit extremely low and the rear sight could never be raised high enough to make use of the bullet. A lower front sight is needed.
I would NEVER shoot a deer with it unless it was at least 200 yd's. Bloodshot city. Then the same thing out of the .460?---WOW! Skin it, gut it, cook it and smoke the meat at the same time. That is if you like blood pudding or super tenderized meat.
No matter though because a bad hit still means a lost deer.
A friend sent me a picture of a deer shot at 140 yd's with this bullet. The offside shoulder was gone, nothing but a smoking hole! I have to see if I can find it after my puter crashed.